1. Professional Associations & Position Statements Training UPDATE
THE CLINICAL SCENARIO
Angela is a fourth year medical student doing a rotation in orthopaedic surgery. Her preceptor asks if she has any experience asking patients about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) experiences. Angela reports that she remembers having a short presentation on IPV during medical school but that she does not feel well educated in the subject area and does not yet feel comfortable asking patients about IPV. Angela asks her preceptor to recommend readings to assist her in learning about the importance of asking orthopaedic patients about IPV.
If you were Angela’s preceptor, what resources would you suggest?
THE FOCUS
THE FACTS
IPV has been recognized as an important issue for all healthcare providers to be aware of. As such, both the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have developed position statements on IPV. Position statements like these are important for guiding practice and helping to deliver quality care to patients. It is important to familiarize yourself with these statements and to think about how your practice aligns with them.
CANADIAN ORTHOPAEDIC
ASSOCIATION (COA)
The COA recognizes that IPV is a significant social determinant of morbidity and mortality, and that professionals in the field of orthopaedics are well positioned to identify patients living with IPV and initiate an intervention. The COA encourages its members to educate themselves further about IPV and considers it good medical practice to take steps to identify and offer assistance to victims.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS
In the context of domestic and family violence, the AAOS believes that orthopaedic HCPs should:
Be knowledgeable about the prevalence and presentation of child abuse and maltreatment, elder maltreatment and IPV
Be aware that he/she may be the first physician to be caring for victims
Maintain a heightened awareness of the problem and develop the skills necessary to identify victims
Ensure maintenance of comprehensive and accurate medical records documenting details of events and examinations
Assess and assure the safety of the victim and take steps to prevent further harm
Appropriately treat victims
Be familiar with applicable laws and resources for reporting and referring suspected cases of violence and abuse
Help educate the public and other HCPs about the problems of child abuse or maltreatment, elder maltreatment, or IPV
Encourage and participate in research on domestic violence and abuse
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
As professionals in healthcare it is important that we understand the pervasive nature of IPV and the scope of the problem within our patient population. We recommend being familiar with any IPV position statements outlined by your professional colleges or associations. Click to access:
The COA IPV position statement
The AAOS IPV information statement
In reading these statements you will become more familiar with IPV, the resulting morbidity and mortality, and the importance of routinely asking about IPV experiences as part of your practice.
FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Depending on your speciality and the demographics of the patient populations you typically treat, you may consider reading position statements on IPV that have been published by other professional associations. For instance you may consider reading those by the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SOGC) or the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA).